1. Technical Field
Aspects of this document relate generally to body massaging apparatuses and support structures for body massaging apparatuses.
2. Background Art
Massage balls and other apparatus are often used to treat or relax muscles. Typical massage balls comprise a ball with various points or knobs placed sporadically or in some pattern across the surface of the ball. These and other massage balls pose several problems in the utilization of the massage ball. First, if the massage ball has points or knobs that are too close together or too small, the massage ball is not effective in muscle treatment. When a ball with too many points or knobs is rolled over a muscle, the muscle recognizes or responds to only a spherical shape because of the close proximity of the relative contact points. Thus, the knobs or points are rendered useless. Second, massage balls with too few points or knobs do not roll smoothly. As a result, the knobs or points typically apply too much pressure in a disjointed fashion before sporadically rotating to the next knob or point in contact with the body. This is particularly the case for massage balls which are used in a fashion where they are placed on the ground and the user rolls the ball between the user's body and the ground or other firm surface. Sporadic or uneven rolling makes it difficult to treat the muscle predictably. Third, some massage balls are inflatable or air-filled apparatuses. These apparatuses, however, are prone to collapsing under pressure when applied in use. The collapse prevents effective use of the massage ball.
The effectiveness of a massage apparatus may be further enhanced by proper use. Typical massage apparatuses are limited to only certain positions without the assistance of another individual or apparatus.